A quarter of Japan's international flights now link to China

With trips up 19% this season, Chinese carriers fatten cash cow routes

China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines have both bolstered service to and from Japan. © Reuters

KAZUHIRO OGAWA, MASASHI ISAWA and YUSUKE HINATA, Nikkei staff writers

November 13, 2019 03:24 JST

TOKYO/GUANGZHOU -- China has become the top location for inbound and outbound Japan flights this winter, topping South Korea, thanks to booming tourism and aggressive overseas expansion by Chinese airlines.

A total of 1,406 regular passenger flights a week are scheduled between Japan and China for the winter travel season, which began Oct. 27 and ends March 28, according to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. This is up by 224 flights, or 19%, from the summer. Routes to and from China now make up 27% of all international flights in Japan.